Continuous wire drawing machine



June 19, 1951 c. o. BRUESTLE commuous WIRE DRAWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1947 INVENTOR. qxwz 0. 320251 345 v ATTOEJVE'FJ June 19, 1951 c. o. BRUESTLE CONTINUOUS WIRE DRAWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1947 INVENTOR. CH/EL Q BEE/ 5751? BY J g Q 3 ATTO/P/VZUJ June 19, 1951 c. o. BRUESTLE commuous WIRE DRAWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 25, 1947 INVENTOR.

(A121? 0. 3502157227 BY 2 g Q d flYTO/PJVEFJ June 19, 1951 c. o. BRUESTLE 2,557,215

CONTINUOUS WIRE DRAWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. C419]; 0. 35026172317 Anew:

June 19, 1951 c. o. BRUESTLE 2,557,215

CONTINUOUS WIRE DRAWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 fa IN V EN TOR.

44/21: a zjzazjjzz' 7 M Q Q u 19751 c. o. BRUESTLE 2,557,215

CONTINUOUS WIRE DRAWING MACHINE Filed July 25, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS WIRE DRAWING MACHINE Application July 25, 1947, Serial No. 763,581

8 Claims. 1

This invention is for improvements in continuous wire drawing machines having individually driven drawing blocks.

An object of this invention is to provide in a machine of this type a construction whereby the drawing blocks can be made appreciably smaller than is required by prior art machines.

Another object of this invention is to provide a continuous wire drawing machine having improved means for cooling the drawing blocks and associated equipment and the wire prior to each drawing operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a continuous wire drawing machine incorporating means whereby scoring of the drawing block during starting is greatly minimized.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in combination with each drawing block of a continuous wire drawing machine, a storage drum and cooling means associated therewith.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in combination with each drawing block of a continuous wire drawing machine, means for preventing the loosening of the wraps on the drawing block during the period when the machine is brought to a stop.

A further object of this invention as a result of all of the above mentioned improvements, is to provide a continuous wire drawing machine that can be operated at much higher speeds than is possible with the presently available machines of this type.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the embodiment thereof selected for illustration in the attached drawings.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in detail below.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the machine of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with a portion of the machine housing broken away to show the motor drive for one of the blocks;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view with some parts broken away and some parts in cross-section of the motor drive for one of the blocks;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a detail; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic and schematic illustration of the control circuit of the motor drive for the machine.

The improvements herein disclosed will be bet ter appreciated when first describing in full detail the structure illustrated. The machine comprises a suitable base which in the case illustrated is in the form of a housing I, which contains a cooling fluid duct 4 which runs longitudinally of the housing and is provided with branch ducts 5 for delivering cooling fluid to the blocks individually. In the case illustrated, the cooling fluid is air and there is therefore provided an air blower 2 driven by means of the motor 3 and connected at its discharge outlet with the main duct 4.

As illustrated the machine is provided with five drawing blocks indicated generally by the reference numerals 6, l, 8, 9 and I0, the latter one of which also includes the final storage drum. At the receiving side of each drawing block is a drawing die, which dies are illustrated at H, H,

l8, l9 and 20. Each of the four drawing blocks is of the same construction in all details and in-- cludes the drawing block 5' and a storage drum 6". A suitable wire guide in the form illustrated, a spoked wheel 6, is provided for guiding the wire from the storage drum to the overhead guide pulley l3 mounted on a standard 14 supported from the top of the housing I. The four standards, one for each drawing block, are connected by a bracing plate [5 which also forms a guard or shield at the back of the machine.

In back of each drawing block is a guide pulley such as the pulley l2 (see Fig. 2) supported on the top of the housing I (see Fig. 3) for guiding the wire from the drawing block to the storage drum. Also mounted on top of the housing I in front of each of the drawing units is a guide pulley such as the pulley I6 for guiding the wire from the pulley [3 to the next drawing die.

Briefly the wire W (see Fig. 2) passes from the supply through the first drawing die ll and is wrapped several times around the first drawing block 6. It then passes to the guide pulley I2 and then back to the storage drum 6". From this storage drum it passes upwardly through the guide ring 6 over the guide pulley I3 and around the guide pulley IE to the drawing die I! (see Fig. 3). After passing through the drawing die ll it follows a similar path as it progresses from each drawing block until it reaches the drawing block 9.-

As before, the wire passes in several wraps around the drawing block 9', then around the pulley 24 (see Fig. 2) to the storage drum 9", through the ring guide 9 over the pulley 25 mounted on the standard 26 to the guide pulley 21, and from there through the last drawing die 20 and onto the finishin block 2"! forming part of the storage unit Ill. The wire passes from the block 2| around the guide pulley 22 (see Fig.2) and back to the storage drum 23.

Each of the drawing units includin the storage drum is driven by its own individual electric motor several of which are illustrated in Figure 4, at M8, M9 and MID. Each of these motors is provided with the pulley 28 connected by several belts 29 to a pulley 3% attached to the shaft for the worm 3|. Worm 3| drives a wormwheel 32 keyed to the bottom of shaft 33. The drawing unit 9 will be described in full detail in connec tion with Figure 5, which is representative of the structure of all of the drawing units ii, 1, 8 and Q. In Figure it will be seen that the wormwheel 32 is keyed to a vertical shaft 33 journaled at its lower end in a bearing 34 mounted in a suitable housing 35 attached to the underside of the top of the housing A spider or bearing support 36 is also attached underneath the table top and mounted therein is another bearing 31 for the shaft 33, which shaft projects above the table top. Keyed to the projecting end of the shaft is the drawing drum 9' which is arranged to rotate within a circular housing 38 which is hollow, as shown, and communicates with one of the branch pipes 5. This circular housing provides annular slots or cooling fiuid discharge ports 39 and 39' positioned to discharge the cooling fluid onto the drawing block 9 near its bottom flange and into the assembly. The upper flange of the drawing block 9 is provided with a series of ports 40 discharging downwardly across the face of the block. This block is hollow, as shown.

The shaft 33 projects above the block 9 and has keyed on it towards its upper end, a disc ii having a face to be engaged by an annulus 43 of some suitable friction material such as brake band material. This annulus is attached to a disc 42 in a position to en age the upper face of the disc 4 Disc A2 is attached to the storage drum 9" to form the upper flange thereof. The annular wall of the storage drum is provided with a series of cooling fluid discharge ports 44. The lower end of the storage drum is guided on the shaft 33 by means of a bearing 45.

The disc 42 is provided with a cylindrical tubular axial projection it having an annular groove on its outer surface in which a brake band 41 rides. Referring to Figure 7 it will be seen that the brake band 'i is of the common clasp type provided with a tensioning nut and bolt and a radial ear 58. The frictional resistance to relative rotation of the band :37 and the storage drum is adjusted by means of the nut and bolt 50. The guide wheel 9 is provided with a projecting pin d9 arranged to engage the radial projection 48 of the brake band 47. The terminal reduced end of the shaft 33 is threaded and has an adjusting nut 52 mounted thereon for changing the tension of a compression spring 5| which bears on the storage drum through the thrust bearing 53.

The drive for the finishing block and storage drum is the same as that for the other units and the details of construction of the unit are otherwise different as illustrated in Figure 6. In this case as before the finishing block 2| is keyed to the shaft 54 which will be driven in the same manner, as illustrated in Figure 4. The lower end of the block 2| is surrounded by a hollow annular housing 56 into which the cooling fluid is delivered from the main duct 4 by means of the branch duct 55. This cooling fluid is discharged against the face of the block 2| through the ports or slots 51, 56 as before.

In this case the web or spider of the block 2| is provided with a friction lil'lg Bil arranged to engage a friction ring 59 secured to the main casting of the storage drum 23 which is journaled for rotation on the upper end of shaft 54 in a manner similar to the manner of supporting the previously described storage drums. As is common in this art, this final storage drum is different in construction but the details of this difference are immaterial except to note that, as illustrated, the main body casting 23 thereof is provided with upwardly extending and outwardly discharging fluid cooling passages 64 and rods 63. The casting 23 is spring loaded by means of a spring 6| and an adjusting nut 62.

A suitable simplified control circuit for the drive motors of this machine is illustrated in Figure 8 mainly to attain the object of establish ing a complete disclosure, it being recognized that the motor control art is well aware of many suitable circuit combinations for this purpose, the drive motors are diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 8 at MS to Mlil inclusive, and a diagrammatic drive connection is illustrated to each of the blocks 6 to If! inclusive. The main current supply circuit for the motors is illustrated at 65. The armatures of each of the motors are connected across these wires to a suitable fuse 66 and control contacts C6 to CH1 inclusive. The fields F6 to FIG inclusive of these motors are likewise connected across these circuit wires through the variable resistors or rheostats R6 to RI 0 inclusive. The control knobs for each of these rheostats are diagrammatically illustrated with the same reference numerals atthe front of the machine (see Fig. 1.). The transformer 66 is fed from the wire and its secondary circuit provides the control circuit for the motor. One wire from the secondary extends through the stop switch SP and the start switch ST, thence to one side of each of the control magnets S6 to SIB inclusive. The other terminal of each of these magnets is connected by a common lead to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer 66. Start switch ST is shunted by a series of contacts electrically connected in series.

Five of these contacts 0L6 to I!) inclusive are the normally closed overload contacts which would commonly be used with these motors. In series therewith is a holding circuit contact S OH. The switches ST and SP taken together are generally indicated by the reference numeral I00 to indicate (see Fig. 3) their association with the machine. These switches are operable by means of a control bar 86 which extends all along the front of the machine (see Fig. 1). This control bar is intercomiected with the switches ST and SP in a well known manner so that when the control bar is moved in one direction on its pivot point the machine is started and when it is moved in the other direction the machine is stopped, the control bar making it possible to accomplish these operations from any point along the machine. The pipe 8| and its branches provide a well known system for supplying coolant to the drawing dies.

In describing the operation of this machine the description will be initiated from the point of starting the machine, assuming that it is all threaded up and ready to run. All the motors with the exception of motor 3 which is individually controlled, but can be connected for simultaneous contact with the drive motors, are energized by moving the bar 80 in the direction to close the start switch ST. Current flows through the normally closed stop switch SP, the start switch ST and through the magnets S5 to SH] inclusive in parallel. As soon as these magnets are energized the contacts C6 to C10 inclusive are energized and in addition the holding contact S I OH is closed, providing a holding circuit around the switch ST through the holding contact and the overload contacts 0L6 to ill inclusive. As soon as the contacts 06 to CH3 are closed all of the motors M6 to MID inclusive are energized. Thus the machine is operating and wire is simultaneously being drawn through all the dies and stored on the final storage drum l0.

The features of this machine can now be emphasized. Contrary to the established practice in this are the wire need only be wrapped several turns around each of the drawing blocks 8' to II! inclusive. The most commonly used type of machine for this purpose uses much larger drawing blocks than is necessary on the machine of this invention because the wire which becomes quite heated as it is pulled through each die must be delayed before its passage through the next drawing die for a period long enough for it to be cooled sufiiciently. This means therefore that a relatively large number of wraps are collected on each drawing block interfering with or reducing the efiiciency of cooling and increasing the possibility of scoring of the drawing block when the machine is started. As is well known, when the machine is brought to rest the wire wraps on the drawing blocks of the presently used machines loosen up and as the machine is brought up to speed they are gradually tightened with slippage of the turns on the block causing bad scoring, which is one of the serious maintenance problems of machines of this type.

Another reason why the presently used machines require a relatively large number of wraps on the drawing block is to provide adequate storage of wire for supply to the succeeding drawing drum. It is common practice, of course, to provide individual motor drives for each of the drawing blocks.and to individually control these motors to adjust the speed of each drawing block so that its speed can be coordinated with the adjacent drawing blocks. In order not to require too constant vigilance on the part of the operator each drawing block must be large enough to contain sufli'cient wire so that if the succeeding block is demanding wire faster than the preceding block is receiving it, it will not exhaust the wire therefrom before this condition can be noted and the motor speeds for these blocks adjusted. Likewise, if a block is receiving wire faster than the succeeding block is taking it, there must be sufficient storage capacity so that it will not be overloaded before the condition can be corrected.

All of these difliculties are avoided by the machine of this invention by the provision of the storage drums 6" to It). In the first place only a very few wraps of wire are necessary on the drawing block. It therefore may be appreciably smaller than the drawing block of prior art machines. It can be smaller because little cooling of the wire occurs on the drawing block, and like Wise the wire on the drawing block is not relied upon for storage purposes. The wire after leaving the drawing block passes onto the storage 6 drums 6" to W where a relatively large number of turns can be piled up. These storage drums are of adequate capacity so that at all times as a normal condition a relatively large number of turns are stored thereon. The result is that a succeeding drawing block can take more wire than the preceding storage drum is receiving for a considerable period should the operator overlook the condition. Likewise, a storage drum can take more wire than it is losing for a considerable period of time without serious difficulty.

Likewise, a large amount of wire on the storage drum allows ample time for more than enough cooling of the wire. Cooling, as will now be apparent, is effected by blowing air onto the wire both when it is on the drawing block 9, for example, as well as on the storage drum 9". Air is discharged onto the wire through the ports 39, 40 and 44. On the storage drum the air blows through the wire tending to rapidly cool it. Air reaches the slots M by passing through slot 39'- and the interior of the assembly.

A very important feature of this invention is the snubbing action provided at the storage drums 8 to Iii" inclusive. Each of these storage drums is driven by the frictional clutch previously described and each is relatively freely rotatable on the shaft of the drawing block with which it is associated. Each of these clutches acts as a slip clutch and in this machine each of the storage drums is of a slightly larger diameter than its associated drawing block, as indicated in the drawings. Therefore, the storage drum demands wire at a slightly higher rate than it is supplied by its associated drawing block. This causes slippage in the associated clutch producing a snubbing action which prevents slippage of the wire on the associated drawing block and permits building up of a coil on the storage drum. The slip clutches in this combination produce a very important and useful snubbing action on the wire to overcome the bad feature of prior art machines of scoring of the drawing blocks. By keeping the wire tight on the drawing blocks not only during normal running periods, but during starting and stopping, the possibility of slippage thereon and resultant scoring is reduced to a minimum.

The above described function of the slip clutch has a similar but somewhat different advantage in the operation of the finishing block 2| and its associated storage drum 23. As is well understood in this art, machine of this type must be adaptable to the production of coils of finished wire of various diameters. In the prior art machines this is accomplished by changing the size of the finishing block, necessitating repositioning of the finishing die and readjusting of its operating speed. With the arrangement herein disclosed the production of finished coils of different diameters is easily accomplished by simply removing the storage drum 23 and replacing it with a drum of the desired diameter. The resulting diameter differential between the finishing block and the storage drum causes no difficulty because it is compensated for in the slip clutch.

As is well understood, a the wire progresses through the machine it is progressively reduced in diameter with the result that the required snubbing force gradually decreases. This condition is easily met in the machine herein disclosed by proper adjustment of the hand knob 52, of which there is of course one for each of the units. Thus at the entering side of the machine the adjustment on spring will be greater than the adjustment on the succeeding adjusting nuts. In other words, the slip clutches are engaged with gradually decreasing forces by proper adjustment of these nuts to provide the correct snubbing action at each station. 7

For emphasis it is again noted that the drawing blocks in this machine may be appreciably smaller in diameter than in the case of the machines now commonly used in commerce. This possibility is emphasized by the above description of the action of the slip clutch which makes it possible to place but a very few wraps on the drawing blocks and still maintain sufiicient engagement of the wire with these blocks to provide the die pull to draw the wire through the die.

In view of the above it will be apparent that while it is possible to make the drawing blocks appreciably smaller, prevent scoring thereof, and insure better cooling of the wire between each drawing operation, it will now also be apparent that this machine can be run at considerably higher speeds than prior art machines since adequate provision is made for cooling the wire between each drawing operation.

Assume now that the operator knows that a particular unit is running too fastor too slow, that is accumulating or losing wire in excess of a normal rate, he merely adjusts the rheostat of the associated drive motor to correct the condition, slowing it down or speeding it up, as required. His supervision in this respect is not so critical because of ample Storage capacity on the storage drums, and the fact that the normal amount stored thereon is considerably more than would be the case on a machine not employing such a drum. He can stop the machine at any time by operating the bar 80 in the right direction to open the stop switch SP which breaks the main circuit to all of the magnets S6 to Sill inclusive, thereby opening the contacts C6 to C10 inclusive. Should any one of the motors become overloaded its 0L contact will be opened in a well known manner to stop the machine.

The final storage drum 2-3 is in most respects like those commonly used. The wire is delivered from the final or finishing drawing block 2i onto the storage drum 23 where it follows it into a coil of the desired size around the vertical rods 63 forming part thereof.

The brake band 41 is provided merely for the purpose of supplying a drag against excessive relative movement between the guide rings of each unit and their associated storage drum. It is desired that each guide ring remain relatively stationary so that it will supply wire from the storage drum to the overhead guide pulley, for example the pulley 13 of the unit 6 in the proper direction.

From the above description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject matter of this invention is capable of some variation without departure from the novel substance herein disclosed, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited except as required by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a power driven drawing block, a storage drum associated with said drawing block for receiving wire therefrom, a slip clutch for driving the storage drum from the drawing block, and a fixed guide for directing wire from said drawing block to said storage drum.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said drawing block and associated storage drum being mounted for rotation on the same axis.

3. In the combination of claim 1, a power driven shaft for said drawing block on which it is mounted, and means for rotatably supporting the associated storage drum on said shaft, said slip clutch being interposed between said drawing block and its associated storage drum.

4. In the combination of claim 1, said storage drum being of slightly larger diameter than said drawing block to cause a snubbing action on the wire.

5. In the combination of claim 1, means for adjusting the engagement of said slip clutch, said storage drum being of slightly larger diameter than said drawing block to cause clutch slippage.

6. A drawing unit comprising a power driven shaft, a drawing block keyed to said shaft, a storage drum rotatably mounted on the axis of said shaft, and a slip clutch driven by said shaft for driving said storage drum.

7. In the combination of claim 6, said storage drum being of slightly larger diameter than said drawing block, and means for adjusting the frictional engagement of said slip clutch.

8. A wire coiling machine comprising a power driven shaft, a pulling block keyed to said shaft, a storage drum rotatably mounted on the axis of said shaft and a slip clutch driven by said shaft for driving said storage drum in the. same direction as said pulling block.

CARL O. BRUESTLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,185,416 Morgan Jan. 2, 1940 2,186,106 Hargreaves Jan. 9, 1940 2,272,195 George Feb. 10, 1942 

